Ellia Kassoff wants to be the person who saves the toy industry — by bringing KB Toys back from the dead.

The Newport Beach, Calif.-based entrepreneur last year acquired the KB brand, working through the US Patent and Trademark Office, in part for an online “virtual mall’’ that he’s assembling out of bygone retail brands.

With the news last week that Toys R Us would close or sell all its US stores, Kassoff has put his plans into overdrive, aiming to open hundreds of temporary KB stores for the fall holiday shopping season. He hopes the pop-ups will help determine where to put permanent stores, possibly as early as 2019.

“I think we could build the concept out pretty quick, with help from the toy industry and manufacturers,’’ Kassoff said. “We don’t have that much time.’’

Kassoff is looking for operating partners, and is already talking to Spencer Gifts, Go! Retail, and Party City.

After announcing KB’s return last weekend, he has been constantly hearing from toy makers, large and small, offering help. Kassoff said: “I have some of the biggest executives in the toy industry, saying, ‘We hope you can save the toy industry.’’’

After enduring two bankruptcies, KB was liquidated in early 2009 — Kassoff blames the formerly Pittsfield-based chain’s demise on a debt burden left from private equity investors. The brand was acquired by Toys R Us but went unused in recent years, and Kassoff became the rights owner after applying for the trademark.

A Boston University graduate, Kassoff worked in high-tech in the Boston area before launching a recruiting business. His career change came after he bought the rights to the then-defunct Astro Pops candies about eight years ago.

Tasting success, he decided to pursue the resurrection business, full time. His company’s focus has been on sweets so far, though his Strategic Marks LLC tangled with Macy’s over the rights to some deceased department store brands. A 2016 settlement with Macy’s left him with a number of retail names, including Jordan Marsh.

“I look for brands that I enjoyed when I was younger,’’ Kassoff says. “KB happened to be one of them.’’

He says he’s not interested in the Toys R Us locations, which are much larger than the roughly 2,000-square-foot mall shops he thinks would be ideal for KB. That said, he would like to eventually open a few larger showcase stores, one per region, that could feature a bigger lineup of toys and host demonstrations, presentations, and other events.

Jon Chesto can be reached at jon.chesto@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @jonchesto.